America 250 Celebrations To Take Place April Through July at Meredith Public Library
The Meredith Public Library will be holding a series of fun and interesting events throughout the next few months in honor of America's 250th birthday. All events will take place under the theme of Plant a Seed of Democracy. (That title is a combination of this year's national summer reading theme of Plant a Seed combined with the USA's semiquincentennial birthday commemoration.)
The festivities begin Thursday, April 9 at 6:30 PM with a program focusing on a little-known, yet historically significant event that happened right here in New Hampshire. Titled Shot NOT Heard 'Round the World, this program presented by Michael Geanoulis reveals that the American Revolution did not really begin with the famous shot "Heard 'Round the World" at Lexington-Concord in April 1775, but at Fort William and Mary in December 1774 in Portsmouth, NH!
Another New Hampshire focused event will take place on Thursday, July 9 titled Redcoats & Rebels: New Hampshire and the American Revolution. This NH Humanities program by presenter Mary Adams will cover many forgotten facts including Paul Revere’s first ride (which was to Portsmouth in December 1774 to warn the patriots that the British were coming to reinforce Fort William and Mary, five months before the Redcoats marched on Concord and Lexington).
Two of the library's popular Crafternoon sessions will take on a patriotic theme. On Friday, May 1 at 1:00 PM, Fran Bates from Fran's Ceramics in Bristol will bring cute ceramics to paint. Choices will include an Uncle Sam Bear, an Aunt Betsy Bear, a Patriotic Pickup Truck, and a Patriotic Hat. On Friday, June 5, the Crafternoon activity will be creating a patriotic windsock. Crafternoon sessions require registration on the library website.
History will come alive at the library with two programs in June featuring costumed historical reenactors. First is J.T, Turner playing Ben Franklin (Thursday, June 11 at 6 PM) followed by Rita Parisi (Thursday, June 18 at 6 PM) playing five women of 1776.
Other themed programs throughout the celebration period include:
- Screening and discussion of The American Revolution by Ken Burns (May 7)
- Celebrating America's Independence with…Beethoven? by Rudy Van Veghten (May 14)
- Unpacking the Declaration of Independence (NH Humanities, May 21)
- Sons of the American Revolution (Genealogy Club, May 19)
- Author Alison Fortier will her discuss book Washington, DC: Designed for Democracy (May 28)
- American Art at 250: Masterworks of a Nation (June 4) by Jane Oneail
- Declaration of Independence Reading by Winnipesaukee Playhouse Community Players (July 11)
- Movie screening of National Treasure (July 18)